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AFL: Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins versatility to test Tigers

Geelong forward Tom Hawkins has compiled a remarkable season in 2020 and leads the AFL in several key statistical categories in attack.

Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins, who has declared himself full fit for Saturday’s AFL grand final, deals with a Queensland shower. Picture: Michael Klein
Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins, who has declared himself full fit for Saturday’s AFL grand final, deals with a Queensland shower. Picture: Michael Klein

Tom Hawkins’ brilliance in front of goal saw him win the Coleman Medal this season.

But the Geelong veteran is far more than a prodigious goal kicker, as his performance in the Cats’ preliminary final victory over Brisbane demonstrated.

The 32-year-old, who on Wednesday declared himself fully recovered from a throat scare that had his club and the competition on edge earlier this week, starred as a makeshift ruckman in attack.

Throughout the third term in particular, Hawkins was able to outbody Brisbane’s ruckmen Oscar McInerney and Stefan Martin to win prime position at boundary throw-ins.

But it was the quality of his deflections that was most notable. At every turn, he managed to find a Cats midfielder, enabling them the opportunity to kick for goal or find a teammate

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further afield.

Hawkins finished with 11 hitouts to go with the two goals he kicked as the Cats pulled away from Brisbane to set up a grand final appearance against Richmond on Saturday night.

The performance is certain to have provided Richmond coach Damien Hardwick and the Tigers’ No 1 ruckman Toby Nankervis with much to consider.

As Tigers defender David Astbury said this week, Hawkins looked the most dangerous forward and ruckman on the ground in the preliminary final.

Hawkins, who has averaged at least 2.2 goals per match every season since 2012, is ranked first in a number of key offensive areas this week. And it provides a snapshot of his flexibility.

He has kicked 48 goals this year, 14 more than Charlie Dixon and Josh Kennedy. He leads the competition in goals and score assists. He has also taken the most marks in attack in 2020.

Importantly, given the priority coaches place on defensive pressure, Hawkins also sits second in the competition in tackles he has laid in the forward 50m arc this year.

It is a startling season and one that emphasises why Hawkins is among the players who are considered most critical to how the grand final unfolds on Saturday.

Richmond restricted both Hawkins and Geelong when they clashed in Round 17 at Metricon Stadium, with emerging Tigers defender Noah Balta able to manage the champion forward.

Both sides have welcomed back key personnel for the grand final.

Astbury, another old foe of Hawkins, offers a dual role to the Tigers as a defender and undersized rucking option and the Cat is expecting to be manned by both rivals at some stage in the decider.

“He is a great player. He has a lot of talent and a lot of attributes. I have played on Alex Rance and David Astbury, who is also in the side this week, so I dare say I will see a bit of him, but Noah is an amazing athlete … who reads the game pretty well,” he said.

He said the presence of Gary Ablett, who was in quarantine in Round 17, is also important for the Cats.

Patrick Dangerfield is also sure to spend far more time in attack than he did last month against Richmond, which gives the Cats more variety than they boasted a month ago.

“They are just dangerous players. It is really hard to match up on different avenues towards goal,” Hawkins said.

“It doesn’t put less reliance (on me), but it gives us more avenues, and maybe there is a flow-on from that … and that will certainly be handy for us.”

Hawkins is certain Geelong will benefit from having acquired former Richmond premiership player Shaun Grigg as a development coach in 2020.

Grigg, whose retirement midway through last year enabled the Tigers to select Marlion Pickett in the mid-season draft, has taken on additional coaching duties given the impact COVID-19 has had on staffing levels at clubs.

“It is an interesting one, because he knows their system really well and he knows individual players,” Hawkins said.

“The little intricacies of certain players, as to the way they play, what they might like as a defender and what they might not like, I’m sure my teammates have sought him out at certain stages, as have coaches.”

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/afl-coleman-medallist-tom-hawkins-versatility-to-test-tigers/news-story/6f09cab63794a1588aa47038be96612b